Liberal MP Scott Brison gave a statement in the House today regarding his privilege motion around secrecy when it comes to the way the government is hiding its spending projections under the guise of “cabinet confidences.”
Mr. Speaker, after ringing up a record 56 billion dollar deficit, the Conservatives are now trying to hide the truth about Canada’s financial outlook.
Finance Committee has asked for the cost of justice bills as well as projections of corporate profits. But the Conservatives have refused, falsely claiming cabinet confidence.
Today, The Globe and Mail weighed in saying:
“The (Conservative) government uses ‘cabinet confidence’ the way the Nixon administration used ‘executive privilege.’ The Liberals provided projections of corporate profits when they were in government. And it is ridiculous for the Conservatives to maintain that the cost of their law-and-order legislation is a state secret. How is Parliament to judge the wisdom of that legislation if it can’t measure its projected impact in prisons built and guards hired?”
AdvertisementMr. Speaker, either the requested information exists, in which case the Conservatives are treating Parliament with contempt. Or the information does not exist, in which case the Conservatives are incompetent and are treating Canadian taxpayers with contempt.
Either way, Canadians deserve better.
Here’s the video of the statement:
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